The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-07-19
Ths 9ailg 8nlletin.
TUESDAY. JULY 10, 1887,
A CURE FOR TYPHOID.
DIR. sTEIeER's METHOD.

chant ships, we have been requested
to publish the following letter, which
appeared recently in the Times. 1t
is from the Rev. John D. Stephens,
Vicar of Savernake, and hon. secre-
tary to the Savernake Hospital -
"In the recent discussion as to the
cause of typhoid fever, has not an
equally IL not more important ques-
tion been overlooked, viz: whether
the treatment of fever almost uni
versally adopted throughout Eng
land is the most ellicacious means of
arresting, eradicating and curing
the disease! That there IS another
system worthy of serious considera-
ton at the hands of the medical
profession at large, the following
facts clearly prove:-On my being
taken suddenly i'll last year at Luz
cerne, and acute symptoms of
threatened fever setting in, my
friends forthwith called in DR..
Steiger, who enjoys asconsider-
able reputation throughout Switzer-
land. He ordered me at once to be
what is called packed, and on my
expressing surprise, he said, i am
thankful to tell you that the doctors
of Switzerland and Germany have
at last learnt the value of simple
remedial measures when Bourb-
axis army entered Switzerland, l
had charge of the fever hospital for
this district, and out of "a patients
suffering from typhoid fever (two
were brought in dying) l cured %
entirely by application of the wet
sheet. used neither medicines nor
stimulants, and the soldiers com
pletely recovered their heath in
very short time. During the last
eight years this system has been
carried on in the Basic Hospital with
signal success, reducing in a sur
pri.ing manner the death.rate in the
fever wards. In private practice l
invariably adopt this system, and
rarely lose patient whom l have
treated from the commencement of
the fever. / have been particularly
successful in puerperal and scarlet
fevers. This system is now almost
universally adopted throughout
Switzerland and Germany Through
DR.. Steiger's assiduous attention
and packing treatment, l was able
to resume my journey in two days.
Now, if not trespassing too much
on your valuable space, may l be
allowed to explain the process and
the principle!
81. The process.-A blanket is
spread out on the bed, and sheet,
wrung out in cold water, placed on
the blanket; the patient is then
wrapped up in the sheet, and the
blanket tightly packed round the
body; other blankets are finally
placed over the patient. In lieu of
the sheet, towel or towels may be
used, depending entirely on the ex-
tent of fever and the probable reac-
tionary powers of the patient. The
sheet is renewed every ten minutes
or quarter of an hour, according to
the temperature of the body, which
is ascertained from time to time by
placing q thermometer in the arm
pit of the patient. 1t will be found
that each sheet will reduce The fever
from 3 to Z degrees. This process
is continued for about an hour. after
which the patient is quickly washed
over for couple of minutes, either
on the bed or in tepid bath, and
put back into bed. 1t is renewed at
intervals of four or five hours until
the fever is entirely subdued, WHICH
crisis is usually shown by spon-
taneous outbreak of natural perspi-
ration. BY means of the thermo-
meter, the fever can he kept in
check by repeated sheets as easily
as steam-engine can be controlled
by4he handle of the machine.
2. The Principle. 1t is always
difficult to explain in simple langu-
age system depending upon and
that ought to be studied by the laws
of science; hut, in plain words, the
wet-sheet pack is simply cooling
poultice. AS is well known, the
rational of all diseases is the de-
termination of blood in excess to the
interior of the body, and the foun-
dation of all curative processes
ought 10 be the withdrawal of such
blood for healthy redistribution
throughout the body. This is the
principle of poultice, and of the
wet-sheet pack. 1t withdraws the
heat of fever as generated by ac-
cumulated blood, and it is continu-
ously repeated till the body regains
its normal temperature through
restored equilibrium of circulation.
Furthermore, the poison, which is
the cause of all specific fevers, is
thus made to expend itself harm
lessly, without involving the body
in the destructive consequence of
prolonged febrile excitement. 1t
has been proved, without doubt,
that the disease by this system can
be arrested and eradcated in the
course of few days, without run
ming what is considered the usual
course of Z, ID, 81, and AZ days.
The subsequent period, also, of
long convalescence is entirely avoid
ed. 1t is at the urgent request of
many friends that / now ventnra to